Queen Elizabeth II Biography Quotes 14 Report mistakes

Early Life and Education
Elizabeth Alexandra Mary Windsor was born on April 21, 1926, in London, the first child of the Duke and Duchess of York, who later became King George VI and Queen Elizabeth (the Queen Mother). Her early years were private and domestic, shaped by a close family circle that included her younger sister, Princess Margaret. The abdication crisis of 1936 transformed her life when her uncle, Edward VIII, relinquished the throne, elevating her father to the kingship and making Elizabeth the heir presumptive. Educated at home by tutors, she studied history, constitutional law, languages, and literature. During the Second World War she made her first BBC radio address to children and, as she grew older, joined the Auxiliary Territorial Service, training as a driver and mechanic, signaling her wish to share in the responsibilities of a nation at war.

Marriage and Family
In 1947 she married Lieutenant Philip Mountbatten, formerly Prince Philip of Greece and Denmark, who was created Duke of Edinburgh. Their partnership, which became one of the defining relationships of her life, spanned more than seven decades and supported her through the demands of monarchy. The couple had four children: Charles, later King Charles III; Anne, Princess Royal; Prince Andrew, Duke of York; and Prince Edward, Earl of Wessex. Family life unfolded largely at Buckingham Palace, Windsor Castle, and Balmoral, with summers marked by outdoor pursuits. Horses and dogs, especially her corgis and the ponies she rode from childhood into her nineties, were enduring passions. The Queen balanced family milestones with public duty, appearing on balcony occasions with her children and later her grandchildren, including Princes William and Harry, as her role as matriarch broadened.

Accession and Coronation
The death of King George VI in February 1952 brought Elizabeth to the throne at the age of 25 while she was touring Kenya. Her coronation, held on June 2, 1953, in Westminster Abbey, was the first to be widely televised, accelerating the medium's growth and opening royal ceremony to a vast public. From the outset, she adopted a steady constitutional approach: to advise, to encourage, and to warn, while remaining above party politics. Her reign coincided with the transformation of the British Empire into a network of independent nations within the Commonwealth.

The Queen and Her Governments
Throughout her reign she held weekly audiences with her prime ministers, beginning with Winston Churchill and continuing through Anthony Eden, Harold Macmillan, Alec Douglas-Home, Harold Wilson, Edward Heath, James Callaghan, Margaret Thatcher, John Major, Tony Blair, Gordon Brown, David Cameron, Theresa May, Boris Johnson, and Liz Truss. These private meetings were central to her constitutional role. While her opinions remained undisclosed, her grasp of state papers and long institutional memory gave context to issues ranging from postwar recovery to economic transformations, European integration and Brexit, devolution, and evolving social policy.

Commonwealth and International Role
As Head of the Commonwealth, she championed voluntary cooperation among nations large and small. She traveled extensively, from tours across Canada and Australia to visits in Africa, the Caribbean, and the Pacific. Decolonization and the emergence of new states reshaped the world she presided over, and she cultivated relationships with leaders including Robert Menzies and Nelson Mandela. Her 2011 state visit to Ireland symbolized reconciliation, while countless Commonwealth Heads of Government Meetings underscored her commitment to dialogue. She hosted and undertook state visits, meeting presidents and monarchs across the globe, and her diplomatic presence often provided continuity as governments changed.

Change, Challenges, and Public Scrutiny
The late twentieth century brought cultural shifts that tested long-held assumptions about monarchy. Public expectations of visibility and accountability grew, and the institution adapted in stages. In 1992, which she described as her annus horribilis, marital difficulties for three of her children became public and a fire damaged Windsor Castle, prompting reforms to royal finances and opening parts of royal residences to visitors. The 1997 death of Diana, Princess of Wales, provoked intense public feeling; the Queen's eventual address from Buckingham Palace, paying tribute to Diana and acknowledging the nation's grief, marked a recalibration of the monarchy's relationship with public emotion and the media.

Charities, Work, and Persona
The Queen served as patron to hundreds of charities and organizations, supporting causes ranging from youth and education to science, the arts, the armed forces, and rural life. Her annual Christmas broadcasts became a hallmark, blending personal reflection with national themes. She embraced slowly evolving forms of communication, from televised addresses to digital messages, while preserving a disciplined public demeanor. Her private secretaries, among them Michael Adeane, Martin Charteris, and later Edward Young, were key figures in managing the demands of a complex modern court. The image of the Queen at ceremonial occasions, whether opening Parliament, honoring service at investitures, or presiding over Trooping the Colour, emphasized continuity; the sight of her in a headscarf at Balmoral or at the races revealed a simpler side.

Later Years, Jubilees, and the Pandemic
Milestone anniversaries provided moments of national reflection. The Golden Jubilee in 2002 followed the deaths of the Queen Mother and Princess Margaret, yet drew large crowds in celebration. The Diamond Jubilee in 2012 showcased public affection and the endurance of the institution. She became the longest-reigning British monarch in 2015, surpassing Queen Victoria, and later marked a Sapphire Jubilee. During the COVID-19 pandemic she delivered a rare special broadcast, invoking resilience and the promise that better days would return. In 2021 Prince Philip died after a lifetime by her side; images of the Queen seated alone at his funeral, adhering to pandemic rules, resonated widely.

Final Months and Passing
In 2022 she marked her Platinum Jubilee, the first monarch in British history to reach seventy years on the throne. Mobility issues reduced her public appearances, yet she continued constitutional duties, including inviting Liz Truss to form a government at Balmoral in September. Queen Elizabeth II died on September 8, 2022, at Balmoral Castle in Scotland. She was succeeded by her eldest son as King Charles III. Her state funeral at Westminster Abbey drew leaders and representatives from across the world and was followed by committal at Windsor, closing a chapter that spanned eras from postwar austerity to the digital age.

Legacy
Queen Elizabeth II's legacy lies in constancy tempered by quiet evolution. She provided a framework of stability through decades of change, working with generations of politicians, welcoming new states to the Commonwealth, and symbolizing service above self. To family members from Princess Anne to the Princes of Wales and to great-grandchildren appearing on palace balconies, she offered a living link to history. To the public, she was both distant and familiar: a sovereign bound by tradition and a woman whose small gestures, from a broadcast in wartime to a reassuring message in a pandemic, carried immense weight. Her reign helped define the modern constitutional monarchy, proving that authority can endure not by force, but by duty, restraint, and a lifetime of service.

Our collection contains 14 quotes who is written by Queen, under the main topics: Wisdom - Leadership - Peace - Legacy & Remembrance - Servant Leadership.

Other people realated to Queen: Norman Wisdom (Comedian), Michael D. Higgins (Politician), Lord Mountbatten (Soldier), Harri Holkeri (Politician), David Bailey (Photographer), Romeo LeBlanc (Politician), Rowan D. Williams (Clergyman), Lucian Freud (Artist), Sarah Ferguson (Author), Scott Thompson (Comedian)

• Wikipedia